Superintendent

ConneXions Winter 2010

As globalization continues to change the way one nation relates to another, the implications for reaching individuals in other parts of the world with the good news of Jesus must be re-examined and adjusted. While we tend to think of church planting as the best way of reaching lost people here in America, that strategy is not always possible in other parts of the world. The Assemblies of God has long held to what is called the “Indigenous Church Principle”; i.e. self-governing, self-propagating, and self-supporting. Many nations around the world make it politically impossible to plant a conventional church the way we think of it here in our country. Yet, the Church is growing in some rather unconventional ways. Omar Beiler helped us at our last Minister’s Enrichment to understand the need to transition our thinking from closed countries to limited access countries to creative access countries. He stated “We are praying the Lord will call people of talent with hearts of apostles.” If we limit our thinking to sending people to other nations who have only ministerial skills (as important as those skills are) we fall into the box of ministry that just looks like our local church rather than allowing God to develop ministry that may appear very different from our local model.

The creative approach we are taking to assist the Assemblies of God of India provides an opportunity to partner with the local spiritual authorities who are targeting unreached people in their nation. Together we dream of establishing a strong ministry in the state of Rajasthan where over 55 million people live with fewer than three hundred known followers of Jesus. This ground breaking endeavor will require faith, passion, finances, and personnel to be mobilized in targeting this land where so few believers currently exist. During the next few months you will hear more of the vision to reach these precious people who are in bondage of darkness and in need of the Savior. Together we can make a difference as we intercede for their souls, contribute of our finances and work toward the establishment of the Kingdom of God in this needy land. We are better together!